Celtic - Carolina Connection

Of the famous "Big Three" (Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen) now playing in the NBA Finals, two of them have South Carolina connections. Garnett was born in Mauldin, South Carolina, and played for the high school team there until his senior year when he transferred to Farragut Career Academy in Chicago. In an interview with The Boston Globe, Garnett said, "I know exactly where I'm from... I've never claimed Chicago as a first home. It's definitely my second home among homes. But I'm from South Carolina, and I'll be a South Carolinian until I die. I rep the South with dignity and integrity" (Spears 2). A teammate of Garnett, Ray Allen, was born into a military family and lived all over the country (and in Germany) while growing up. During his high school years though he played for Hillcrest High while living in Sumter, South Carolina. He led Hillcrest to a state championship his senior year. In The Boston Globe article Allen says that, "A lot of people ask me where I'm from all the time... it's interesting because a lot of people in South Carolina declare me as one of their sons. I have no problem with that, but I have people in California that do the same thing and other states I lived in that feel the same" (Spears 2).